Managing the amount of water that flows through the dam is nothing new for Don Quarford.

Managing the dam while attempting to serve two masters is a new twist, however.

Quarford, the city of Beaver Dam's director of utilities, finds himself walking the fine line between ensuring the safety of contractors working on the city's downtown revitalization project and complying with DNR regulations.

"It might be a little rough to follow the DNR's orders in keeping the river flow consistent while allowing the contractors to get their work done, but we'll manage," Quarford said.

Those working on the downtown project, particularly those removing the culverts from Tower Parking Lot, need the river as low as possible to complete their tasks. So whenever possible, Quarford will keep the  flow at a minimum during working hours. At least 3 cubic feet of water per second must flow through the dam in order to provide adequate water and oxygen for the river's fish, although Quarford said he will likely keep the flow at a minimum of 10 cubic feet per second.

"Anything less than 3 cubic feet puts us in non-compliance," Quarford said.

The first day of the project requiring lower river levels is Wednesday, so starting Monday, Quarford and his crew were beginning to slowly reduce the amount of water running through the dam. The reduction must be done gradually to not upset fish life, so boards will be added to the dam in eight-hour shifts.

"If you stop flow too quickly, fish can get stuck in holes," Quarford said. "The DNR wants to make sure there's a steady decline. So we don't want to slam it shut and dry up the river and strand the fish."

After working hours, Quarford will reopen the dam so 414 cubic feet of water is released per second in an attempt to manage the lake level.

"We'll be monitoring and adjusting on a 24-hour basis," said Quarford. "We've been doing this kind of operation for years, so it won't take way from what we already do here."

To get an idea of how heavy that flow is, a typical heavy spring release is 500 cubic feet per second while anywhere from 1,000 to 1,500 cubic feet per second flowed during last year's flooding.

Fox Lake is currently releasing a lot of water from its dam, so Quarford said it will be hard to get the lake down to its ideal mark. But once Fox Lake slows down its release, up to an inch a day can be removed from Beaver Dam Lake.

Some concerned property owners wondered if the city would draw down the lake by several feet during the project, affecting shorelines. But both Mayor Tom Kennedy and Quarford said that no such tactic has been considered.

"That's absolutely not going to happen," Quarford said. "The lake will be maintained as it has in the past to preserve it for recreation people as well as the project. My main concern is for the safety of the workers, but I will do everything I can to make sure there is no inconvenience to the workers and the citizens."

The DNR will be a very interested partner in the city's efforts to manage its waterways during the downtown project. Jim Congdon, basin supervisor, and Dan Hunt, water regulations and zoning specialist, will receive frequent e-mails from Quarford updating his efforts. Any large spike in water levels due to heavy rain or discharge from Fox Lake will require adjustments.

"It's very important this project gets done quickly and I will do whatever I can to help get it done in a timely manner," Quarford said. "It is going to be crucial to the city, and I think it will be very successful."

dbaulch@capitalnewspapers.com